Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist who writes novels about the diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease and how the family copes. Lisa wanted people to understand these diseases and develop a compassionate awareness of what it feels like to have a disease like Huntington's or Early Onset Alzheimers.
Huntington's disease is an inherited Neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of voluntary motor control and an increase in involuntary movements.
STILL ALICE:
This is a novel about Alice who has early onset Alzheimer's disease.
KRIS:
This is a story about Alice, a well respected Harvard professor, married to a successful research scientist. They have 3 grown children. She is only 50 when she gets the diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Each of her children has a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation which has a 100% chance of causing the disease. It is a very poignant story of Alice and the family, how they learn to deal with it and the change in their relationships. As readers, we go through the harrowing downward spiral of Alzheimer's disease. It is a heartbreaking story but it's worth reading.
BEV:
She found it a bit close to home as her mum had Alzheimer's disease. Alice knows something is wrong but not sure. When she gets diagnosed her husband refuses to believe it. He insists on having more tests to prove the diagnosis. The younger daughter who didn't always get on with the mother proves to be the most support. Alice eventually loses power of speech but at the end she is still Alice. Bev understood how the family felt as she went through the same thing with her mother.
DIANN:
She found it a bit difficult to read and confronting. She didn't finish the book and said it wasn't relaxation reading.
CLAURENE:
It was very interesting and Claurene enjoyed it thoroughly. The author knew all about the disease.
JUDY D:
Judy's father had Alzheimer's in the 1960's when people didn't know about the disease. She didn't enjoy the book and felt it was painful because of the association. She said it wasn't a book to read for enjoyment.
INSIDE THE O'BRIENS
This a novel about Joe O'Brien who is diagnosed with Huntington's disease. It is an inherited condition affecting the nervous system.
WENDY:
This book was written in 2015. Joe O'Brien is a 44 year old Boston policeman who is diagnosed with Huntington's disease. He had noticed some unusual things happening. His co-workers notice and think he is dangerous at work. A few of the symptoms are involuntary movements, dementia and anger. He is put off work to be diagnosed. Huntington's is a genetic disease. The story is told from his daughter Katie's point of view. It is very informative but sometimes a bit like a lecture. The characters were stereotypical. Wendy enjoyed the book.
PAT:
Pat started reading it and even though she liked the way the author writes, she didn't want to read a sad book at this time.
DI:
This is a story about a family dealing with a nightmare disease. It's a macabre lottery that passes on the disease to some children and not others. Joe, who is diagnosed with the disease, thought his mother was a drinker but she actually had Huntington's disease. There was a stigma. He had years without knowing. Di said the Irish family lived like they have just stepped off the boat - very religious. They expect children to marry someone from same religion - Catholic.
VAL:
Val said the characters were stereotyped. She didn't want to read about this disease.
JULIA:
Julia really enjoyed the family. She thought she writes well about the disease and what the family is going through.
KRIS:
Lisa Genova is very good at portraying a family facing the consequences of a terrible disease. She takes you on a journey with the family watching the symptoms worsen, the changes in the family dynamics and at the end, the deep love and respect they have for each other. It was a bit difficult to get into at first because of some of the characters but it's worth a read, although a bit depressing.
LEFT NEGLECTED
CONNIE:
This is a story of a young wife and mother of three children. She is well off. She is involved in a car accident. Although she hasn't injured much, she has a bump on the head and gets tested for brain damage. Her brain has been so affected it won't acknowledge anything on her left side. It's not able to be fixed. She can't work or drive or cook. It unites the family and Connie was uplifted by the fact the family got through it and it ends happily. Connie said it was well written and very precise.
LOVE ANTHONY
This novel is about an autistic boy and the effects it has on the family.
LESLEY:
There are two parallel stories. The first is about Anthony an 8 year old autistic boy who is very challenging. He is uncontrollable, non verbal, throws tantrums and it all falls on his mother who is consumed by him. There is a major crisis and Anthony dies. Olivia, the mother has so much grief and thinks "why me?" The marriage breaks up and Olivia goes away. She meets another woman, Beth who is grieving over her husband who is having a long term affair. They form a friendship. Beth has autistic tendencies and writes a book about an autistic boy from his perspective. When Olivia reads the book it helps her understand what Anthony went through and gives her comfort. Lesley said it was well written although some things were a bit shallow like Beth suddenly being a good writer.
JUDY A:
Judy found it a bit contrived, although the author did express well the anxieties and worries parents experience.
ED:
She enjoyed it as much as you can from a certain point of view. She didn't realise how bad things could be for families with autistic children. She said "it opens your eyes to what people are experiencing".
EVERY NOT PLAYED
This is a story about a man who get ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) - a neurological disease that affects the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement.
ROSEMARIE:
Rosemarie was amazed by the research of the mental and physical aspect of this disease - ALS.
CHARIS:
This is a story about a concert pianist who loses movement to ALS, and his ex-wife, both unforgiving. Charis didn't want to read it as it is very explicit about the nursing care and the demands made on carers. She also thought the storyline about the demise of the marriage and final forgiveness did not hold up enough over the descriptions of caregiving. She felt at the end she was reading a marketing tool as a fundraiser for a dreadful motor neurone disease, which was proven in the author's note at the end of the book.
Joan read a different book. She read SMALL FRY by LISA BRENNAN JOBS. This is a memoir by Steve Job's illegitimate daughter. Steve Jobs was a college dropout and he and his girlfriend had a baby. He denied paternity but did eventually agree to pay child support. Lisa had no father around and craved his love. Joan found it a very interesting read.
In December we will discuss our favourite book we have read this year, not including any book club choices.
Our next book club meeting will be on Thursday 13th December, 2018. Please bring your own morning tea. After the meeting we will meet at Cornerstone Cafe, Windsor for our Christmas lunch.
Kris
